


The Stars are Bright Tonight

by WonderAvian



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-22 22:17:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23001268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderAvian/pseuds/WonderAvian
Summary: Originally posted on tumblr December 24th 2016. For my Secret Santa I got @akireyta who requested  “TAG. Love either: downtime/what they do to relax, OR alt. the ladies teaming up & being awesome, OR alt. anything w/ EOS."
Kudos: 15





	The Stars are Bright Tonight

John is sitting on the ledge on the outside of Thunderbird Five, right next to the airlock. Next to him, the lights that circle EOS’s camera are blinking slowly. The two of them are quiet as they look down at the planet below.

“John?”

John blinks, breaking his gaze away from the Earth. As he does so, the lights of Five reflect against his eyes, turning them from a light sky blue to stunningly iridescent green.

“What is it, EOS?”

EOS’s lights flicker grassy green, signalling her curiosity.

“Why do you always come out here, John? Sitting here on the outside of Thunderbird Five doesn’t seem very stimulating or productive.”

John smiles, and turns back to the Earth below, his eyes changing back to blue.

“It’s the best view,” he says simply, a lock of ginger hair falling over his right eye with a shrug of his shoulders. “Besides, we’ve had rescue after rescue the last couple of days. We should take every opportunity to relax.”

EOS stares at John’s back, wondering what goes on in her creator’s mind in times like this. He seems so different than he usually is, much more… at peace.

John, with his gaze fixated on the planet below, notices immediately when Thunderbird Three makes its way out of the atmosphere, heading towards the space station. Smiling to himself, he moves to the airlock, punches in the code and makes his way to meet his youngest brother. EOS follows.

By the time they get there, Alan is waiting silently in bay, uncharacteristically floating in place instead of bobbing up and down in excitement over seeing his space-bound brother in the flesh.

As soon as John opens the bay door though, Alan launches himself at the older man, wrapping his long and spindly limbs around him in a good impression of a spider. It’s the Alan version of tackle hug. However, the young astronaut lacks some of his usual energy.

John instinctively hugs Alan back, glad that they are both in space where he isn’t as likely to have his spine snapped in two were they on Earth.

John takes both of their helmets off and buries his face in Alan’s downy blonde hair. He breathes in through his nose, savouring the ever present smell of youth that always seems to follow Alan around. There is also a slight hint of chlorine. The boy must have gone for a swim in the pool to cool off before coming up to Thunderbird Five.

All too soon, Alan breaks the hug, moving rather stiffly. John being the protective yet calm older brother he is, inquires gently as to what happened as he hands his brother his helmet.

Alan takes the helmet with a weary smile. “Scott said I should take private self-defence classes after ending up in hospital too many times due to upset rescuees,” Alan says quietly, and John’s face darkens as bad memories flash through his mind. “Kayo hits hard,” Alan adds, “but I think I should be able to defend myself well enough from now on.”

He grins, pumping his fists. Then, catching John’s raised eyebrow, he blushes and scratches at the back of his head.

John nods, proud of his little brother’s progress with both his self-defence skills and confidence. To himself, he just wished their resident martial artist held back a little bit more when sparring with him and his brothers.

EOS watches the exchange in silence, her lights a neutral white.

Alan twists his neck rather awkwardly towards the ceiling. “Hello, EOS. How have you been?”

EOS’s lights flicker lime green in surprise and slight happiness.

“Hello Alan. I have been functioning at full capacity. I expect that you will be well now that you have taken these self-defence classes?”

Alan nods, then shakes his head, smiling. He looks a little lost.

John slings an arm around Alan’s shoulder. “Thanks for coming up.”

Alan shrugs, curiosity as well as bashfulness written all over his face. Awkwardly, he tried to stretch out his spindly, weary limbs. He gives a shaky smile.

“Anytime.”

He blinks at John, curious as to what his space-bound brother called him up for. He hadn’t been entirely specific, just saying that there was something on the station Alan ought to look at.

John leads him out of the bay, taking him over to the airlock. He puts his helmet on and motions for Alan to do the same. Alan does so without complaint, and gives John the thumbs up.

John opens the airlock. The two of them drift out into space together. Alan glances around at their surroundings in confusion before John taps him on the shoulder, and they go sit down on the bridge of Thunderbird Five together. EOS follows, and she looks down at the planet below with them.

Alan leans against John, placing his head on John’s shoulder. John slings an arm around him, happy to just sit in silence with his little brother, but there is still one thing that needs to be done. The stars twinkle around them. He waits patiently.

Then, he sees it. A red and orange streak in the distance. It’s a better sight out here than it ever would be on Earth. He lifts his arm – the one that isn’t slung around his little brother – and points to it.

“There, Alan. Do you see that?”

Alan shifts against John’s side, pushing himself up slightly and turning his head so he can see what his older brother is pointing at. His eyes go wide in amazement.

“I see it! John, that’s so cool!” the space child exclaims. He looks to John. “Best Christmas gift ever.”

John laughs, quietly relieved his plan worked. He pulls Alan closer, holds him gently in his arms, careful not to aggravate bruises both old and new.

“Merry Christmas, Alan.”

Alan presses his head to John’s chest, straining to hear the older man’s heartbeat through the space between them.

“Merry Christmas, John.”

Neither of them have forgotten the AI. John, her creator, says it first.

“Merry Christmas, EOS.”

“Merry Christmas EOS!”

She looks at them. They are both looking at her, and both space brothers are smiling.

Silence falls again, quiet except for the sound of the younger one’s excited breathing.

EOS’s lights flicker white, then blue, and then finally green.

“Merry Christmas, Alan and John Tracy.”


End file.
